Date:25/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/25/stories/2007112555820900.htm

National

Gen. Sabharwal takes over as Srinagar’s 15 Corps GOC

Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR: Lt. General Mukesh Sabharwal on Saturday took over as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Srinagar-based 15 Corps. He replaced Lt. Gen. A.S. Sekhon, who was shifted to the Army headquarters in Delhi after completing his tenure.

At a simple ceremony at the Corps headquarters here, both the officers laid floral wreaths at the Corps War Memorial and paid tributes to those soldiers who had laid down their lives for the nation.

Gen. Sabharwal, an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, was commissioned into the Rajput Regiment on 13 June, 1971. During his career spanning 36 years, he has had varied command and staff experiences. On commissioning, Gen. Sabharwal took active part in the 1971 India-Pakistan war in Jammu and Kashmir and also commanded his Battalion in Ladakh. He was awarded the Vishist Seva Medal for his dedicated service as a Brigade Commander in active counter-insurgency operations area in Manipur.

He also commanded the Kupwara-based 28 Infantry Division on the Line of Control and was actively involved in counter-infiltration and counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

For his distinguished service on the Line of Control, he was awarded the Ati Vishist Seva Medal. Lt. Gen. Sabharwal has also held a large number of staff and instructional appointments.

He has also attended the prestigious command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, USA and the U.S. Army War College, Pennsylvania.